Spanish village painted blue for Smurfs film votes on keeping theme

The inhabitants of a Spanish village which was painted entirely blue for the filming of a Smurfs movie voted on Sunday on whether they want their houses to remain a vivid shade of azure or to return to traditional white.

Since filming the hillside village has become a huge tourist attractionPhoto: AFP/GETTY

Juzcar, inland from Malaga, was transformed six months ago when it was chosen as the set for The Smurfs 3D, becoming the world's first official Smurf Village.

Sony, which made the film, had promised to return the village to its original state, with homes painted in dazzling white, as is typical of southern Spain.

But the 250 locals are expected to vote for the unusual look to be retained, because since filming the hillside village has become a huge tourist attraction, pulling in more than 80,000 visitors.

They embraced the makeover with such gusto that some dressed up as giant Smurfs and held a Smurf fair in the village square.

David Fernandez Tirado, the mayor, who has been nicknamed 'Papa Smurf', said there were "many benefits" to the village being blue. The makeover distinguishes Juzcar from all the other 'pueblo blanco' white villages that dot the landscape of southern Spain.